Bandwidth limiting for product testing

[forrie]

We run Cisco ASAs across our department. I've been tasked with creating a LAN or configuration within which the developers can artificially limit/impede the bandwidth of certain connections, in order to best simulate a remote user experience.

We frequently have users that complain about issues that we cannot replicate - and our dev process is network-agnostic and assumes the other end is just as fast as ours (not a good idea, especially when you're streaming video).

Tho I'm not firewall expert, I know there are many ways to do this, both client and server side.

I would prefer to do so in a way that doesn't involve my responding to several tickets asking to reduce this line X bandwidth to this, etc.

Maybe I'm looking in the wrong direction - perhaps there is a Linux distribution that provides a GUI for someone to mess around with to this degree.

What I see is an ASA (or other firewall) and 1 or more private RFC LANs behind that would be bandwidth limited on demand. That is, unless we don't find a client solution -- the problem being is we use Linux, Mac, Windows .. anything that can play or stream flash video, we'd be testing at one point or another.

Anyone have some experience with this?

Thank you in advance...

 

[North323]

you can create a police policy that would limit bandwidth on the ASA. this can also be based on the IP address or the source and/or destination. you could google police policy ASA and see a few examples.

 

[forrie]

From what I've read, the police policy will drop packets if the bandwidth exceeds the limit -- which is not what we want, we need to simulate certain ranges of connections (ie: dialup, dsl) and perhaps inject artificial delays (which can be done with software).

Do I misunderstand police policy?

Thank you.

 

[North323]

you can have them drop the packet or be sent.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/vpndevc/ps2030/products_tech_note09186a008084de0c.shtml

 

[ISPKing]

No you do not want to police, but shape. Policing will result in tail drop. Thus not actually simulating a low bandwidth solution. Shaping is more involved but allows what you are looking for. Or you could trick it into policing but with a CBWFQ design, therefore alleviating the concern of tcp synchronization.

But to put simply the asa is not made for that, cisco really wants you to have a router in front or behind it to handle that stuff, Pick up a 2651xm off ebay for around 150$ and go to town that will pretty much do everything you need.

CCNP